1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to a garment for supporting the human breast and, more particularly, to a post-surgical comfort brassiere and method of making.
2. Description of the Related Art
Traditionally, the only acceptable form of undergarment for women was the corset. The corset was extremely painful and uncomfortable and led to the making of the brassiere. The original brassiere was comprised of two scarves and a ribbon. Since the original brassiere, however, many different styles of brassieres have been made. Today's brassieres are generally formed of fabric and include four elements: cups, closures, shoulder areas, and bands.
One drawback of the present brassieres is that the cups rub, compress, and irritate the chest wall tissue. Some cups include seams, under-wires, and side stays incorporated into them that poke, put pressure on and irritate the chest wall, the ribcage, and the underarm areas. Additionally, closures are available, such as zippers, hook and eyes, hook-and-loop fasteners, and elastics of all types, that chafe and rub when they come into contact with the chest wall or the back, resulting in extreme pain following upper torso surgeries, such as, breast, lung, heart, and back surgeries.
Furthermore, the shoulder areas used in the brassieres continuously slide down the shoulders and upper arms of the user, even if the shoulder areas are adjustable. Shoulder areas made of elastic, stretchable material tend to cut and dig into and painfully compress the shoulder area, creating deep grooves. The shoulder areas cause extreme pain following certain types of surgeries, such as, rotary cuff surgeries and surgeries to alleviate bursitis.
In addition, the bands used in the brassieres rub, compress, chafe, and irritate the front rib cage and back of the wearer. The under-band beneath the breasts can cause substantial friction with the human skin that results in excess perspiration. The excess perspiration in combination with the friction can cause rashes and possible infections.
Finally, many brassieres use fabrics that are either one hundred percent synthetic or partially synthetic. Unfortunately, many women are allergic to synthetic materials and break out in painful, itchy rashes. Furthermore, after surgery, some women become more sensitive to synthetic materials. Therefore, brassieres that employ synthetic materials can cause a lot of discomfort.